Pensioner fell to his death at recycling centre in Botley

A HAMPSHIRE pensioner died after falling down steps at a recycling centre just moments after a warning from his daughter, an inquest heard.

Bruce Norton-Amor, 85, began climbing the steps to a skip when he toppled backwards, hitting his head on the asphalt.

His skull was fractured and he died the next day at Southampton General Hospital.

At a coroner’s court in Winchester, Mr Norton-Amor’s daughter, Bridget Massey, said: “I went to say ‘I told you not to carry the heavy bags’, but as I went to speak, I saw him in that instance and he swayed and then fell backwards and that was it.”

Mrs Massey, of Romsey, said that her father was independent and in good health.
The site is run by Hopkins Recycling Ltd, based in Botley, on behalf of Hampshire County Council.
Accident

Due to the location of the incident, police treated it as an industrial accident.

PC Mark Leneve, who attended the scene, said in a statement that Mrs Massey had told him she had warned her father against carrying the bags up the steps.

He added: “I could see no fault, damage or trip hazard causing Mr Norton-Amor to fall.”

Addressing Mrs Massey, deputy coroner for central Hampshire, Simon Burge, said: “There’s quite clearly nothing you could have done that you did not do already, that would have stopped him from doing this sort of thing.”

Mr Burge said he had “no hesitation” in recording a verdict of accidental death.